Bundle of shingles

ABSTRACT

Bundle ( 1 ) of shingles ( 2 ) characterized in that the shingles ( 2 ) are disposed superposed over their width (I) in a bundle column ( 20 ), but not strictly superposed over their length (L) in this bundle column ( 20 ), the bundle of shingles thus comprising but a single bundle column ( 20 ) of shingles of a width (I) equal to the width (I) of one shingle ( 2 ) and a length greater than the length (L) of one shingle ( 2 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved bundle for shingles. Certain coverings or certain sidings are made by using flat wooden tiles also called shingles. The shingles at present have a flat rectangular shape. Certain shingles, obtained by slicing in two, along the length and diagonally along the cross-section, of a flat shingle in the form of a plate, thus have a tapered cross-section and accordingly have a variable thickness with one thin side and one thick side. We will call these shingles beveled shingles. No matter what the support, battens, joint laths or not, these shingles are either nailed or stapled or fixed by any other means to this support.

[0002] Shingles are at present bundled. The bundle according to the invention fulfills several functions in the industrial and commercial uses of shingles. The first function is to offer improved bundles for the treatment phase. The treatment is at present effected in an autoclave or by immersion and particularly for impregnation with fungicide and insecticide or specific properties particularly improving the characteristics of mechanical resistance of the shingles. The second function is to secure the shingles together favorably during bulk transfer. For bulk transfer, the shingles are at present assembled in bundles on a pallet, the pallets being themselves disposed in containers. For this transport phase, the bundles according to the invention optimize the good strength of the bundles, ensure the bundles a parallelepipedal external volume and thus increase the number of shingles that can be contained in one container. The third function is to secure together desirably the shingles during the laying phase. The laying phase is a phase at the workplace during which the roofers carry the bundles to the roofs, open the bundles and then fix the shingles one by one on their supports. The bundle according to the invention has transport characteristics, good handling characteristics, characteristics of the protection of the shingles and of improved presentation. An object of the invention is to provide improved bundling of shingles which desirably fulfills each of these phases, of treating, bulk transport and laying at the worksite and which as to each of these phases improves the bundles known to the prior art.

[0003] The prior art provides packaging for shingles. This packaging at present takes the form of a bundle of shingles comprised by three columns, in its standard form two columns including 18 shingles in 1 column including 17 shingles. This bundle now has a single hoop. The bundles are also sometimes bundled in an indefinite number and this with a single hoop, the shingles being disposed without a particular direction with the thick sides and thin sides mixed, randomly arranged and not patterned.

[0004] For the treatment phase, the duration of treatment is long, and hence costly, and sometimes of little effect. Thus, in the prior art, the shingles are at present forcibly banded with small spaces between the shingles so that the treatment products will desirably and efficaciously penetrate the wood. The bundles of shingles must be treated for a long time so as to allow time for the product to impregnate the wood. There can result an irregularity in the treatment regions of the shingles with all the disadvantages that follow.

[0005] For the bulk transport phase, palletization is difficult and not very stable. Thus, the bundles of shingles can have a slightly increased volume and in any case are not strictly parallelepipedal. This gives rise to a dead volume between bundles of shingles which is fairly great and hence costly. Hooping of the pallet with 4 hoops is necessary. The handling with lifting machines (lift trucks, trans-pallets) is difficult and risky. The loading of the truck is also difficult and long.

[0006] During the step of laying, the bundles of shingles are heavy to carry. Gripping the bundle is difficult, or, more seriously, the hoop of the bundle breaks upon lifting. The bundle of shingles is constantly unstable. During carrying, the center of gravity is far from the body (300 mm) which renders this carrying more difficult. The bundle of shingles is of large volume and subject to shocks. The resistance is also mediocre and numerous shingles may be damaged. This gives rise to loss of shingles upon loading trucks and in particular considerable loss at the worksites because the shingles fall and are thus too soiled to be used. Thus, as soon as the bundle of shingles begins to dwindle, the bundling loses its effectiveness, giving rise to a great loss of time, as well as an undesirable loss of shingles. In the specific case of beveled shingles, during laying, the shingles are present in random directions and the roofer must continuously pay attention as well as effect a specific handling to present the shingle according to its good side.

[0007] The invention overcomes the defects of the prior art and provides bundling which has the following characteristics:

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, the shingles are disposed superposed over their width in one column. This column of shingles is then hooped.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, the shingles are disposed superposed according to their width in one column, but not strictly superposed as to their length. The bundle of shingles thus comprises only a single column of shingles of a width equal to the width of one shingle and a length greater than the length of one shingle. This column of shingles is then hooped.

[0010] According to an improved aspect of the invention, the column of shingles comprises two sub-columns, a first portion of the shingles is entirely superposed on a first sub-column and a second portion of the shingles is strictly superposed on a second sub-column.

[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the two sub-columns are separated by a distance less than half the length of a shingle. The shingles are thus all superposed one by one over at least one half of their length.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, in the case of beveled shingles, the shingles are disposed with their thick side outwardly of the bundle and their thin side inwardly of the bundle. In this modification, the thin side of the shingles is thus always protected against shock.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, the bundle of shingles comprises 36 shingles. 18 shingles are disposed in a first sub-column and 18 other shingles are disposed in a second sub-column. According to one aspect, the shingles are disposed in regularly alternating pairs in the two sub-columns. The bundle thus has a regular and symmetrical geometric shape, and the roofer during laying has these shingles presented pairwise in the same direction. According to this aspect of the invention, the bundle of shingles is hooped with two hoops. The hoops are positioned about one-third of the length of the bundle.

[0014] The invention thus provides a bundle which has the following advantages:

[0015] For the bundling phase, the invention thus provides rapid bundling with manual packaging, or machine packaging, semi-automatic and automatic. The hooping is thus easy and economical.

[0016] For the treatment phase, the treatment (by autoclave or by immersion) is easy and rapid. The penetration of the product is facilitated by the spaces obtained due to the preparation of the bundle. Thus, the shingles being disposed in pairs in bundle columns that do not overlap, leave a space for the product to impregnate the wood more easily. The fact of bundling the assembly of shingles in a single and unique column of a bundle moreover permits presenting in contact with the product all the lateral sections of the shingles which was not possible in the prior art. The bundle according to the invention permits by simple immersion a complete and total impregnation of each shingle. The region of the shingle that is not to be covered by the overlying shingle is free from any obstacle for all the treatment product without opening the bundle. The invention permits among other things a treatment of decoration of the painting type or the like such as with thick liquid, without having the need to open the bundle and permits continuous treatment.

[0017] For bulk transport, the invention provides a bundle offering a saving of space in warehouses. Thus, the shingles being bundled in a single column, external volume of the bundle has a strictly parallelepipedal shape. This is not the case in the case of bundling in several columns, because then the bundles can buckle. The bundles of shingles can be palletized and hence stacked. The invention requires hooping of the bundle with only 2 hoops. Handling by lifting machines such as a lift truck is simple and without risk. The stackability of the bundles of shingles is unlimited and this without risk of crushing or deformation of the bundle. The containerization is optimized and the number of shingles contained in one container is increased.

[0018] For laying, the presentation in a single column provides a center of gravity nearer the bearer (60 mm) than in the prior art. The bundle does not deform. The risk of collapse of the bundle is limited. Handling is facilitated and less subject to risk of shock because the bundle is smaller and more easily handled than in the prior art, and in the case of shock resists the shock. Gripping by storers, transporters and layers is facilitated. The bundle according to the invention protects the thin edges of the shingle from shock because they are hooped in the middle of the bundle and hence not subject to shock. The invention permits holding the bundle flat on the roof, thus rendering it stable and thus limiting the risk of the bundle falling. For the roofer, the shingles are presented to him two by two in the same direction. The roofer immediately takes the shingles pairwise without being confused as to their direction. This aspect of the invention provides a saving of time for installation.

[0019] The weight and volume of a standard bundle permits shelving in a store and permits an acceptable arrangement for a user to carry the bundle and to put it in a truck which is not possible with the prior art. A standard bundle of 36 shingles of a size 800 mm×270 mm×120 mm weighs about 10.8 kilograms. The wood is also a resinous wood as cryptomeria, or hardwood such as tamarin, chestnut or teak.

[0020] Reference will now be had to the drawings, in which:

[0021]FIG. 1 is a side view of the bundle according to the invention.

[0022]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the bundle according to the invention.

[0023]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a shingle.

[0024] In FIG. 1 is shown a bundle (1) of shingles (2, FIG. 3) seen from the side. The bundle contains 36 shingles. All the shingles are superposed over their width and in a single column (20) of the bundle. In FIG. 1 there is shown for better visibility the shingles assembled pairwise. There are thus 9 pairs of shingles in a first sub-column of the bundle (5) disposed alternately in the bundle with 9 other pairs of shingles disposed in a second column (6) of the bundle. The shingles have their thick sides outwardly of the bundle and the thinner side of their section inwardly of the bundle. There are thus shown 9 pairs of shingles disposed in one direction in a first sub-column (5) and nine pairs of shingles disposed in the opposite direction in a second sub-column (6). The bundle thus has a regular symmetrical shape that is perfectly parallelepipedal. Seen from the side, the shape of the bundle is toothed. The two sub-columns of the bundle (5, 6) are separated by a distance (7) of less than half the length of a shingle and more than a sixth of the length of the shingle. By way of example, we give here the dimensions of a bundle according to standard forms: Lengths of Length of the shingles Number of shingles bundle 800 mm 36 1000 mm 600 mm 36  800 mm 400 mm 36  550 mm 300 mm 36  400 mm

[0025] To secure the bundle, the bundle is circled with two hoops (9).

[0026]FIG. 2 shows a top view of the bundle according to the invention. The bundle in this view has a strictly rectangular shape. There is shown the first shingle (2) of the first sub-column of the bundle (5) and a visible portion of the first single (2′) of the second sub-column of the bundle (6).

[0027]FIG. 3 shows in perspective a beveled shingle (2). Seen from above, the shingle (2) has the shape of a flat rectangular elongated tile of a length designated (L) and a width (I) less than the length (L). Seen from the side, the shingle (2) has a beveled cut. According to its width (I) , the beveled shingle (2) has a first lateral surface (10) called its large side and a second lateral surface (11) called its small side.

[0028] The invention thus provides a bundle (1) of shingles (2) characterized in that the shingles are stacked superposed and circled by a hoop (9) according to one column of the bundle (20).

[0029] The invention thus also provides a bundle (1) of shingles (2) characterized in that the shingles (2) are disposed superposed across their width in one bundle column (20), but not strictly superposed according to their length in this bundle column (20), the bundle of shingles thus comprising but a single bundle column (20) of shingles of a width equal to the width of one shingle (2) and a length greater than the length of one shingle (2).

[0030] The invention thus also provides a bundle (1) of shingles (2) characterized in that the bundle column (20) of shingles comprises two sub-columns of the bundle, a first portion of the shingles is strictly superposed according to its length (L) and according to its width (I) in a first bundle sub-column (5) and a second portion of the shingles is strictly superposed according to its length (L) and according to its width (I) in a second bundle sub-column (6).

[0031] The invention thus provides also a bundle (1) of shingles (2) characterized in that the two sub-columns (5,6) of the bundle are separated by a distance less than half the length of a shingle and by a distance greater than a sixth of the length of a shingle (2).

[0032] The invention thus also provides a bundle (1) of shingles (2) characterized in that the shingles are of beveled cross-section having a thick side (10) and a thin side (11), the shingles are disposed with their thick side (10) outwardly of the bundle and their thin side (11) inwardly of the bundle, the thin side (11) of the bevels thus being always protected against shock.

[0033] The invention thus also provides a bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 5 characterized in that the shingles (2) are disposed pairwise in regular alternation in the two sub-columns (5,6) of the bundle.

[0034] The invention thus also provides a bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 2 characterized in that the bundle (1) of shingles (2) is encircled by two hoops (9), the hoops being located about one-third of the length of the bundle column (20).

[0035] The invention thus also provides a bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 1 characterized in that the bundle (1) responds favorably to all the phases of handling, bulk transport, laying and commercialization over a large surface.

[0036] The invention thus also provides a process for bundling shingles (2) characterized in that it comprises

[0037] a regular and alternate succession of steps of bundling beveled shingles (2) pairwise in one direction in a first sub-column (5) of a bundle column (20) then pairwise in a second reverse direction according to a second sub-column (6) of the bundle column (20)

[0038] A Step of Hoping

[0039] There will thus be seen the numerous possible variations which can be combined to be practiced here without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as is defined hereinafter. 

1. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) characterized in that the shingles are stacked superposed and encircled by a hoop (9) in one bundle column (20).
 2. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 1 characterized in that the shingles (2) are disposed superposed across their width (I) in one bundle column (20), but not strictly superposed along their length (L) in this bundle column (20), the bundle of shingles thus comprising but a single bundle column (20) of shingles of a width (I) equal to the width (I) of one shingle (2) and a length greater than the length (L) of one shingle (2).
 3. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 2 characterized in that the bundle column (20) of shingles comprises two sub-columns of the bundle, a first portion of the shingles is strictly superposed along its length (L) and along its width (I) in the first bundle sub-column (5) and a second portion of the shingles is strictly superposed along its length (L) and its width (I) in a second bundle sub-column (6).
 4. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 3 characterized in that the two sub-columns (5,6) of the bundle are separated by a distance less than half the length of one shingle and by a distance greater than one-sixth of the length of one shingle (2).
 5. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 4 characterized in that the shingles are of beveled section having a thick side (10) and a thin side (11), the shingles are disposed with their thick side (10) outwardly of the bundle and their thin side (11) inwardly of the bundle, the thin side (11) of the shingles being thus always protected against shock.
 6. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 5 characterized in that the shingles (2) are disposed regularly alternately in the two bundle sub-columns (5,6).
 7. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 5 characterized in that the shingles (2) are disposed regularly alternately pairwise in the two sub-columns (5,6) of the bundle.
 8. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 2 characterized in that the bundle (1) of shingles (2) is circled by two hoops (9) the hoops being located about one-third of the length of the bundle column (20).
 9. Bundle (1) of shingles (2) according to claim 1 characterized in that the bundle (1) is suitable for all phases of handling, mass transport, laying and commercialization over a large surface.
 10. Process for bundling shingles (2) characterized in that it comprises a regular and alternate succession of steps of placing in a bundle beveled shingles (2) pairwise in one direction in one sub-column (5) of a bundle column (20) and then pairwise in a reverse direction in a second sub-column (6) of the bundle column (20) a step of hooping. 